LOCATION BALAAM IDEstablished Series
The Balaam series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained
soils that formed in recent alluvium from mixed sources. Balaam soils
are on stream terraces and have slopes of 0 to 4 percent. Permeability
is moderately rapid in the upper part and very rapid in the underlying
material. The average annual precipitation is about 16 inches, and
average annual air temperature is about 42 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, frigid Ultic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Balaam gravelly sandy loam on a 1 percent slope at an
elevation of 5,000 feet in pastureland. When described on October 19,
1971, the soil was moist to 14 inches and dry in the underlying
material. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted)
A1--0 to 3 inches, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly sandy loam,
very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular
structure; slightly hard, firm; many very fine and fine roots; many
fine interstitial pores; about 20 percent pebbles; slightly acid (pH
6.2); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
A2--3 to 14 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly sandy loam,
dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky
structure; slightly hard, friable, many fine roots; many fine
interstitial pores; about 30 percent pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4);
gradual smooth boundary. (5 to 11 inches thick)
2Bw--14 to 21 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very gravelly
coarse sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive;
slightly hard, friable; common fine roots; about 50 percent pebbles;
neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 14 inches thick)
3Bk--21 to 61 inches; extremely gravelly coarse sand; single grain;
loose; few fine roots; about 50 percent pebbles and 10 percent cobbles;
slightly effervescent (calcium carbonate about 5 percent); lime and
silica occur as coatings less than 1mm thick on the underside of coarse
fragments; mildly alkaline (pH 7.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Blaine County, Idaho about 3 miles south of Bellevue;
2,450 feet west and 1,120 feet south of the northeast corner of section
13, T. 1N R. 18 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Average annual soil temperature - 42 to 47 degrees F.
Depth to loose sand and gravel - 14 to 35 inches
Thickness of mollic epipedon - 10 to 15 inches
Base Saturation by sum of cations (some part of upper 30 inches) - 50
to 75 percent
A horizon
Value- 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma, moist or dry - 2 or 3
Reaction - strongly acid through neutral
2Bw horizon
Chroma, moist or dry - 2 through 4
Texture - GRV-COSL, GRV-SL, GRV-FSL, or CBV-SL
Clay content - 5 to 12 percent
Coarse fragments - 35 to 55 percent
Greater than 3 inches - 5 to 25 percent
Reaction - strongly acid through mildly alkaline
3Bk horizon
Texture - GRX-COS, GRX-LCOS, CBX-LCOS, or CBX-COS
Clay content - 0 to 10 percent
Rock fragments - 60 to 85 percent
Greater than 3 inches - 10 to 50 percent
Reaction - strongly acid through mildly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other soils recognized in this family.
Soils in a similar family are the Olancha series. Olancha soils are
moderately deep to a paralithic contact.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Balaam soils are on stream terraces. Slopes range
from 0 to 4 percent. Elevation ranges from 4,700 to 6,100 feet. The
soil formed in recent alluvium from mixed sources. The annual
precipitation is 14 to 18 inches, most of which falls as snow and early
spring rain. The annual air temperature is about 40 degrees to 45
degrees F. The frost free season is 60 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Adamson, Bruneel, Carey
Lake, Hutton, and Little Wood soils. Carey Lake and Little Wood soils
have argillic horizons. Bruneel and Hutton have aquic moisture
regimes. Adamson soils have mollic epidepons greater than 20 inches
thick and occur on the same position in the landscape. Bruneel soils
are on recent flood plains. Carey Lake and Little Wood soils occur on
older alluvial fans and fan terraces.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; slow runoff;
moderately rapid permeability in the upper part and very rapid in the
underlying material.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly used for rangeland, pastureland and limited
cropland. Vegetation is basin big sagebrush, mountain big sagebrush,
Idaho fescue, sandberg bluegrass, and needlegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Balaam soils are inextensive in south central
Idaho.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Blaine, County, Idaho, 1985.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon
are:
Mollic epipedon - from the soil surface to 14 inches
Ultic subgroup - part or all of the soil above 30 inches has a base
saturation of less than 75 percent
Cambic- leached of carbonates 14 to 21 inches
National Cooperative Soil Survey